Bangle (Zingiber purpureum Rosc.)
rhizome extract (BRE) contains phenylbutenoid dimers (banglenes),
which exert neurotrophic effects and possess the potential capability
to regenerate hippocampal neurons in mice. The acute and chronic oral
toxicities of BRE powder were evaluated in Sprague–Dawley rats.
A dose of BRE powder was estimated to be higher than 2000 mg/kg containing
BRE 534 mg/kg as minimum lethal dose in a single-dose oral toxicity
study. The no-observed-adverse-effect-level for the BRE powder was
1000 mg/kg/day (BRE 267 mg/kg) in the 90 day oral toxicity study.
Four week clinical studies of BRE tablets in humans suggested that
the ingestion of BRE tablets within 850 mg/man/day (BRE 227 mg/man/day)
was safe for at least 1 month and in a usual manner. The Cmax, tmax, and AUC of cis- and trans-(E)-3-(3,4-dimethoxyphenyl)-4-[(E)-3,4-dimethoxystyryl]cyclohex-1-enes (c- and t-banglenes) were calculated after the ingestion
of BRE tablets (BRE 227 mg) and were 17.73 and 22.61 ng/mL, 1.8 and
1.8 h, and 71.47 and 95.53 ng/mL/h, respectively.